Wrench for operating drop-bottom cars.



C. W. RICE. WRENCH FOR OPERATING DROP BOTTOM CARS. APPLICATION FILED- FEB. 1, 1913.

1, 1 1 3 ,248. Patented Oct. 13, 1914.

MI. W

v .nnrrnn sTarrEs PATENTQEF CE CYRUS w. RICE, or PHILADELPHIA, rENnsYIJvANiA.

WRENCH FOR OPERATING DROP-BOTTOM CARS;

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CYRUS lV. Bron, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements and in such connection it relates to the constructive arrangement of such wrench for the defined purpose, among other uses'therefor.

The nature and scope of my present invention will be more fully understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, in which- Figure 1, is an end elevational view of a wrench, embodying the main features of my invention. Fig. 2, is a view partly in central longitudinal section and partly in top plan of the wrench, showing the handle-bar having a recessed seat with its rear curved walls and sides in part offset; the rotary flanged reversible wrench-head and yoke having a fork-like extension to movably engage the seat of the handle-bar to afford reciprocatory movement of the yoke and wrenoh-head keyed thereto by a ratcheted surface wedge offset in one portion to enable a shiftable locking device of the handlebar being brought into engagement in the operative relation of the wedge with the wrench-head; and Fig. 3, is a front elevation of a portion of the face of the wedge, showing the particular formation thereof, engaging the surface of the wrench-head, as illustrated in Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings a, is preferably a two-part handle-bar the two parts detachably fitting each other, as shown in Fig. 1,

and provided with a recessed flat seat a having curved rear walls a and a on both sides, for a purpose to be presently fully explained.

The outer edges of the seat a locking device 6, is provided, consisting of a metal strip 6 having at the outer end a projection 6 through which extends a screw-bolt if, having a tightening-nut b, to

are pro-. vided with offsets a and a A shiftable Specification of Lette'rs Patent. PaQtentediOct. 13, 1914. Application filed February 1,1913. smi no.745,55s.. l

engage and tightensaid bolt in the offset a or a of the'seat a for a purpose to be presently explained. i

A yoke 0, sprovided whichhas a' forklike extensiona to movably fit the seat a and .to beheld by means o'fa headed bolt c which forms the pivotal bearing for the yoke 0, with the-seata of the handlebar a.

. The bolt 0 is provided with an opening in one extremity 0 to insert a cotter-pin 0, so thatthe yoke and seat may be held in a reciprocatory relation with each other.

A reversible flanged wrench-head d, is provided, which is recessed at d, in its periphery and with which engages an irregular-shaped ratcheted surface wedge e,

as clearly shown in Fig. 3, having an offset c and a ring 0 the latter belng provided so as to readily insert and withdraw the wedge to or from the space 0 of the yoke extension. The wedge in its operative locked position bears against the recessed surface d of the wrench-head (has shown in Fig. 1, and when so seated the screw-bolt 6 of the locking device Z), is shoved into the offset e of the wedge to prevent displacement of the same and while manipulating the Wrenchhead, under slight reciprocatory movement of the yoke c, on the seat of the handle-bar a, and the wrench-headis engaged with a square-shaped pivot extending from either side of a drop bottom car, for either'raising or lowering the same.

It will be observed wrench-head is arranged so as to be readily reversed in its operative relation with the yoke o, for actuating the bottom from either the right side or the left side, to discharge its contents or to close thewings of said bottom, a

'By the foregoing arrangement of the wrench, the operator is protected against accidents during operation of the car bottom to discharge contents, because after releasing the dog controlling the turning bar orpivot holding the wings of the bottom to each other, the wrench-head is firmly held by the ratchet wedge until the said bar, frequently released suddenly by the weight contained above the bottom of the car and in direct bearing, reverses the wrenchhead, which in turn releases the wedge and weight of the handle-bar against the wedge, ,thus giving free turning action to'the wrenchhead and the released turning bar held by from Fig. 1, that the 90 the wrench-head of the wrench, preventing serious accidents common to the general employment of solid Wrenches for the purpose.

Having thus described the nature and obects of my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is V In a Wrench, a handle-bar provided with a recessed seat and curved Walls, outer edges of said seat having oifsets, a shiftable looking device having a projection through which extends tightening means, a yoke having a forked extension in reciprocating relation with said seat, a reversible flanged WI'GIlCl1l1flCl, a ratcheted surface Wedge having an offset and a ring, the latter being provided to insert and Withdraw said Wedge Copies of this patent may be obtained for to or from said yoke extension, said Wedge in its operative locked position bearing against the recessed surface of said Wrenchhead and When so sea-ted, the tightening means of said locking device is in relation With the offset of said Wedge to thereby prevent displacement during manipulation of said Wrench-head, substantially as described. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my signature in the presence of the tWo subscribing Witnesses hereto. 1

CYRUS W. RICE.

Witnesses:

THOMAS M. SMIT HELE F. MILLER.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

